River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-17
Our Public School.

Probably the greatest blessing that
has befallen our country is our system
of common school education, provid-
as it does a certain means to every
child, rich or poor, of obtaining that
amount OF learning necessary to the
proper performance of almost every
duty connected with ordinary business
pursuits. To those who have lived long
enough to remember the old New Eng
land methods of common school in
struction which forty years ago were
so efficient, and 50 highly priced, the
improved methods of TO day will be a
pleasing surprise, for, however much
the recollection of the old methods
may call back earlier enjoyments in
the old sehoolroom of childhood, the
old plan must wane in significance
when compared with the thorough
and more far reaching system Of the
present time.
A visit to the public school Of
this city recently, brought to the mind
of the writer with great force the con-
trast limited at above, and left the i'm
preston that, the children of this
generation are most highly favored.
To see everything moving steadily on
by fixed plan, from the primary de-
partment under the skillful manage
ment of Miss Wells, up through every
grade to the highest, in such perfect
order, and with exact regularity and
confidence, that the presence of strang-
ers proves no shock or embarrassment
to either teacher or pupils is of it self
treat we'll worth the sacrifice of time
necessary to obtain it, to any interest
ed in matters of education.
In going through the different de-
partments the visitor is soon inn
pressed with the feeling that, not only
must the different teachers be we'll
up liz their calling, but that there
must he guiding genius somewhere,
RAOAAAAN AZ ANoOulGNS IhANh VI BtANEp-
tion and prompt in execution, presid-
ing over the whole affair, TO produce
such an equilibrium of action. and
such happy results. With no attempt
at flattery we are in duty bound to say
that Prof. Friedel is the presiding
genius" in our public school, whose
quiet activity, and untiring applica-
tion is fast making it Qf not already
accomplished) one of the very highest
character. There can be no question
in the mind of an old pedagogue from
the days long gone by, after visiting
the different grades of this school,
that the Prof. is ably seconded by the
teachers under his guidance, in every
grade, which is of course, as it should
be, securing as it does that harmony
of action, and community of effort, so
potent in reaching best results in
every associate undertaking.
Could space be allotted us, we should
find it pleasurable indeed to carefully
review what we saw and heard, in our
brief visit but suffice it to say that a
school that moves like clockwork from
the alphabet up TO physics, and practi-
cal mechanics, carrying through every
grade some ingenious method of men.
tai recreation, full of profit and in
struction while it relaxes the tention
of mind effort, is such a school as
every citizen should be proud of, and
not only feel willing to support, but
provide with every educational luxury
which the diligent professor may de-
eide needful to the proper training of
the young and plant minds under
his supervision.